34 years on, fallen Dude Fire heroes get a new memorial honoring their sacrifice

Phoenix, Arizona: A ceremony has been held to dedicate a new memorial honoring the six firefighters who lost their lives battling the Dude Fire in 1990. Among the fallen were five inmate firefighters from Perryville Prison and their prison supervisor.

The fire, ignited by lightning in the Tonto National Forest, scorched 24,000 acres and destroyed 63 homes before it was finally contained more than a week later. The tragedy left a lasting impact on the community, which has long been reminded of the event by a memorial that stood for over 30 years.

Community members felt it was time to upgrade the aging memorial. One local resident, who spearheaded the restoration effort with his wife, spoke yo 12News Phoenix about the importance of the project: “Those reminders are always here, but the biggest one is every day we go in and out of the community, we would see the memorial," he said. "It really bothered us as a community that, as the caretakers, it got to that stage. My wife and I made it a mission of ours to restore it. We faced many hurdles and bumps in the road, but when we finally met the right people, you can see the results today.”

The new memorial features portraits of the firefighters along with a narrative of their heroic efforts, ensuring their legacy will continue to be remembered and respected.

What was the Dude Fire?

The Dude Fire was a significant wildfire that occurred in Arizona in June 1990. The fire occurred in the Tonto National Forest, near the town of Payson, specifically in the area known as Bonita Creek. The fire was ignited by a lightning strike on June 25, 1990. The Dude Fire burned approximately 24,000 acres and fire raged for about a week before it was fully contained.

Six firefighters lost their lives while battling the Dude Fire. Five of them were inmate firefighters from the Perryville Prison working as part of a prison firefighting crew, along with their civilian supervisor. Several other firefighters were injured, some severely, due to the fast-moving flames and intense heat. The fire destroyed 63 homes and numerous other structures, causing significant damage to the surrounding area.

The Perryville Crewmembers lost on the Dude Fire were: Sandra Bachman, Joseph Chacon, Alex Contreras, James Denney, James Ellis, and Curtis Springfield.

The fire was particularly difficult to control due to extreme weather conditions, including high winds, low humidity, and intense heat. The fire exhibited explosive growth and unpredictable behavior, which contributed to the fatalities.